On the second day of his visit to Lebanon he urged mankind to pardon the offences of others, after meeting an array of the country's political and religious leaders, including representatives of Hezbollah, the Shia Muslim "Party of God".

"Only forgiveness, given and received, can lay lasting foundations for reconciliation and universal peace," the Pontiff said at the Lebanese presidential palace.

Hundreds of people from different religious denominations lined the road as the Holy Father travelled to the lush Beirut suburb of Baabda, home to the presidential palace, preceded by a mounted parade of Lebanese ceremonial cavalry. Crowds waving both the Vatican and Lebanese flags cheered as he passed, and confetti swirled in the air.

Hezbollah's leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah has also welcomed the Pontiff's arrival in Lebanon, describing it as "historic and extraordinary" and the party has been eager to show its involvement. Banners declaring a "welcome to the land of resistance" and signed by the militant group were erected along the roadside as the Pontiff passed through its heartland districts in south Beirut on Friday.

In recent decades the Iran-backed group whose military wing is considered a terrorist organisation by many, including Britain and the US, has transformed itself into Lebanon's dominant political and military force. It has strengthened its political platform by forging strong ties with many of Lebanon's Christians.

Among its supporters is Michel Aoun, the former prime minister and army commander who is seen as a leader by many of the Christian Maronites in Lebanon's multi-faith society.

The Holy Father's visit comes as the region struggles to cope with the physical violence and the political, economic and humanitarian fallout of the Syrian civil war. His speeches have thus far skirted wide of taking a political position on that divisive issue.

Whilst some Christians in Lebanon support the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, those aligned with Hezbollah strongly defend his continued rule.

"Lebanon is called, now more than ever, to be an example," the Pope said, inviting his audience "to testify with courage, in season and out of season, wherever you find yourselves, that God wants peace, that God entrusts peace to us".

On Friday he called for an end to the supplying of arms to Syria. A day earlier US Treasury officials imposed sanctions on the leader of Hezbollah and two other members for allegedly aiding the Syrian government in its fight against opposition forces.

Pope Benedict has worked hard to heal the rifts caused between the Vatican and the Muslim world, exacerbated by his address in Germany in 2006 in which he quoted a line of Byzantine hostility to the Prophet Mohammad.

He has since sought to highlight similarities between the two faiths and has often included visits to mosques on subsequent trips.